Automatic line centering and shifting device for typesetting machines



F. C. SOUCHE AUTOMATIC LINE CENT-E jl (f'z zfor- NAND CHARLES SOUCHE i ttorneya FER ' nected in its turn to cam actuating showing the inside of the rack 4.

, casing 8 and are constantly Patented Jan. 8, 1946 I AUTOMATIC LINE CENTERING AND SHIFT- ING DEVICE .FOR TYPESETTING MA- CHINES I Fernand Charles Souche, Oullins, France; vested in the Alien Property Custodian 1942, Serial No. 462,098

Application October 15 In France No 7 Claims. There exist several systems for the automatic centering of the lines in Linotypes and the .like

type setting machines, but such systems are only adapted for use with those machines for which they have been designed. These systems are generally delicate in their handlingand are easily put out of adjustment; the mechanical part, housed within the vice of the-type setting machine is often, locked by metal scraps from the parings formed by the line calibrating knife and moreover it is subject to the impact of any fortuitous jet of molten metal. j

My invention has for, its object an'automatic line centering and shifting device which may be mounted without any modification on all Linotypes and the like type setting machines, said device centering with the greatest accuracy the text or shifting towards the right or the left the lines of lead alloy molten by the type setting ma chines for printin'g purposes.

In my improved device, the spacing between the two jaws between which the line is cast, is controlled by a rack acting on each jaw and adapted to be displaced by means of a set of pinions driven in the required direction by another rack. Last mentioned rack is pivotally secured to the end of a connecting-rod yieldingly con- 7 a lever which rocks under the action of a cam keyed to the camshaft of the Linotype or the like machine.

Means are also provided for engaging at a time if required only one of the two racks which control the jaws and also for putting the device in or'out of gear. I

Appended drawings show, by way ofexample, a form of execution of myinvention.

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of the whole device, designed for the case where the control is obtained through the addition of a complementary cam on the camshaft carrying for instance the the first elevator of the type setting machine. 1

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along line 22 of Fig. 4, mechanism-carrying casing.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section along line 33 of Fig. 2.

ig. 4 is a cross-section along line 44 of Fig. 2. According to my invention, the automatic centering operations are performed through the mechanical control of the vice jaws.

'The right hand jaw 2 (Fig. 1) is-integral with a rod 3 the end h of which is provided with a The left hand jaw 5 (Fig. 1) is integral with another rod 6 the end of which is also provided with a rack 1. v

The portions of the rods 3 and 6 which are provided with the rack teeth run through the in gear respectively with the pinion 9 through the rack on rod 3 and vember 11, 1941 with the pinion I 0 through the rack on rod 3 (Figs. 2and 4).

The pinions 9 and ID are loosely mounted on the corresponding shafts I I and I2, and may be engaged respectively with the bosses I 3 and I4 (Figs. 2; 3, 4) mounted on theshafts ll and I2. These bosses l3 and M are provided with an inner toothwork having the same pitch as the racks 4 and 'i and adapted. to engage a cooperating toothwork on the pinions Sand 10 respectively.

I Said bosses are keyed to their shafts H--l2 with a slight friction so as to be capable of a longitudinal sliding motion along said shafts under the action of the small levers l5|6 (Figs. 2 to 4). These small levers are pivotally secured at their lower free end to the hinge l1 and carry on their medial portion a spigot l8, l9 engaging a groove in the cam 20. This cam controlled by the handwheel 2| is adapted to cause these levers to make the system of bosses l3, l4 occupy one of the three following positions: First position: The boss I3 has advanced towards engagement with the pinion 9 while the boss I 4 has receded away from the pinion l0.

Second position: both bosses have advanced towards the corresponding pinions 9 and I 0.

Third position: the'boss l3 has receded away from the pinion 9 while the boss H has advanced towards the pinion lfl.

The shafts II and I2 also carry the pinions 22 30. The cam 21 issuitably keyed to the cam- V shaft carrying for instance the cam controlling the first elevator of the machine. The connecting rod 29 and lever 28 are interconnected through a yielding coupling constituted .by a small connecting rod 3! (Fig. 1) and by a spring 32 wound round same and bearing on one hand against the stirrup-shaped end of the small connecting rod 3| and on the other against the bottom of the tubular member 33; said tubular member 33 which is provided with a shoulder is fitted over the rod 3| and is itself pivotally secured to the connecting rod 29 through the spigots 34; a nut 35 screwed over the threaded upper end of the small connecting rod 3| is urged against the ,support 26 is adapted to return to its inoperative starting position the whole mechanism in the casing.

during-fthisrzrising:motion, tithe racks under the action tof the sprin thereby the head of the screw 31 against the lower projection of the'support. 'Whiledater-al set screws are provided for holding themack when 1 it has entered the desired position, the screws or stops 3'! are provided with apertures for the insertion of the:- tool which is itmrOtatezthemzand thus make the racks slide verticallyvwithzreier- :ence-"to the part "of support fifi extending between said "racks. A member 338' .T'(Eig."'-1) TOY "pivoting stop-carried 'by the lower :end orthe supportrmay occupy-two positions *at'-90one with reference to *the other in --one=-of- -which position it provides -for the=engagement an'd in -theother forthe disengagement of {-the rod'2-9-with=reference *to the movable'support '26.

The operationgof the arrangement is'asfollows:

V I. Killing-in :or :shifi ing 20f short lines iffom'zthe right-hand side ,The. .operatorrbringsthemarkeon-the' hand wheel .21 ion the teasing in front Qof marknsay .the;letter D,, engraved on; or otherwise laffixed to-Jtheicasing18..oflthesdevice. .TI'hrough this operation and through the -agency vof .the

cam 20 and of the smallleversliandl6 (Fig.4), the Jooss L3 is \set .in pperative ,conneetion -with the bosses l3 and M in themame zdirectioneas the shafts carrying them; 7

As tfhe' boss l 4 isdisengage'd with"reference-rte *t-he :p'iriion I I consequently the left hand :side 'jaw Ti remains l in itsf-iposition -o'f rest in contact with its Est-op, 'which-is in anadjustable position eel-responding toa predetermined length'of line.

"6n the contrary, the right-handside-jawfi is dri ven inithe direction of the arrow 1| "(Fig "1) until the pressure it "exerts on the types pushed by its-movement against the stationary jaw is "sufficient to compressfthe spring in the yield- "ing connection "betweenthe members "28 and "29 and to fls'tqp anyiurthenmovement off "said -memher-129. At this moment, :a.:s ystem of levers 'car- .riedjgy theJj-J' aw'figsetsj ree'gthe-stomarresting the .forward motion of the piston ;pr.oJ' acting i-molten -metal intothempllll eofthemachine. tem nf levers iorming gno part :of the 'nlnvention islansual lcomponentoflliinotypes and needs not beriiescribedpr shown.

Once thelline,iseastnthetcam 2] .setszthefilevver vza free .so that .thetrod 23 moves downwardly and returns ,thevwho1e a=Imechanismintogather with the Jaw '2 to its starting position Adjustable stops 3'! (Fig. 1) are provided between the-*supportfi-26 and eachnoftthe zracksffl v and -so*as to allow modification of theposition imparted tothe jaws through said racks. These stops may be constituted by screws screwed into the lower end of each rackandzthetheadofwhich rests on a lateral lower proiectionzof'ithe'ssupp rt 26. A complementary screw passing through the upper part of said support '26 urges the upper end of the correspondingra'cksdownwards and the correspondin the latter remains rstationary sand II. Centering J'Il'he: operator-ibringsthe .markmn the handwheel 2| in front oflanother markQsay the letter on the casing of the device. .For this position of the handwheel, the bosses 13 and $124 z'are in engagement respectively with the pinionsflan'd l0. When caused to rise, the

racks 24, '25drive the corresponding pinions 9 to move, the jaw 2 4| and the jaw 5 land glob which cause-@the jaws tinrthe-zdirection of the arrow in the direction of the arrow 42. The two jaws .movethrongh -exactly equal amounts and hold thetypesfast between one another in the posi- ,tiongdefined by the adjustable stops 31, until the a the spring 32 begins to be compressed; when the f'line has been stereotyped the mechanism is re- "tumedtogether -with the; jawstostartingjposition ioy the spring fi.

Left i handrshittmg of the.,line i lhe operator :biings the mails-"on the lt-antl- 'wheel 2 I in frcnt ol a further mark, *saidithe "letter G', 5011 masing "For this -p-os'ition ef "-the handwheel, the'dooss l i is rlisconnectefi with 'referencetto the pinion fl while thebossJflis? in cengagement withithepinion1m. A

The right hand' jawis thus' nota drivenFby'fizhe roameactuated :system an'd :remains against its stop, :wliile the Z-le'ft zhancl *jaw is driven iin' the iv "directionaof the arrow fl.

Change .of "breadth. o .the line 'z'ntcndeltjfor setting :The' :operator V=hrm s 1121118 :mark on the ,:hand

- wheel 2| in front iof-tthezrmarkiD-pnnth-eaeasing.'

zlheideft qhandgjaw's 'is' thus held aunt ief-engage- :anent.

:Supposing :the halfenutilocking the mod a sed ior fjustiiyirtg is :raised, in 'i-therusual :manner by 11a llever *pivctally-esecuredzsay ltoithe coverxof ithe zcaing, ithe {operator will :tlren :hririg the .mark -lemrrreflrrvssaid;justifyir gnml in ,front fofithezmark 'zconrrespondirrgnto the 5161151711 mi dine desired ion 4 ,g tthe 3.1151131 :scale carried iin tthe 1 case monsidered by the cover ofxtheucasingiil. lThehalfe'nutllock- Ring the justiiying 110d -;beinglowered 'zlnto operative os't'onithroughithe:agencyrofrazspring, itheizoperatortbrhigs the rightehandgaw-zagainst said rod in the usual manner andzhetthen-iacts cn {the -handwhee1 2| :to obtain :the a desired :zdisplacementv of tthe waw -12, thefliflerent points :of [engagement rof-sthe vboss -.l=3 acorresponding ato the edivisionsiofithe justiiyinglrod or ;the ajaws.

"V. se'ttmgithe 'ilevice"ontpfyear Lillie-operator .br-ingsrif :desireclttlnleimarlcv on ,the handwheel 2| in front of the letterrD. JI heAeftihand daw. isxthus tree. Eonsettingdzhe-.device:*out of ,gear, the .adisengages the member -I38 and -;the

" type-setting machine works thereafter as aneordimany; machine. h

LMy timprovred rdevice removes the necessity of using tfillfldfitts wand spacing st1ips. .-ior;finishing r gshort dines-such zasithoserending ;paragraphs. 'JIt avoids the handlingtof:suchnuadratgaridgspacing- :bands jor centering purposes pr fliore'shitting the \textlleftwards. .7 Eortype-isettinglan ordin'arytext," 7 it does away with the use of the spacing-strips reunited eheretoioreior giving all tthe lines *the -.same;1engm.

"My improved device is secured :laterally :with reference to ethe aziceiinlthe place coif the iusual justifying :support the vice, Jaws, which (151B?- Jiont is then secured $0 "the reartof'the masing .-.of

: ithe rcenteiing; iiev'icedesc'riheii. .All the giants #of my improved device are housed in a fluid-tight casing which protects them against the impact of lead scrap and accidental jets of molten metal. Said device also forms a very resistant unit mechanically incapable of disturbances in its adjustment. The change of operation between centering, shifting rightwards and shifting leftwards is performed easily without any shock through actuation of the handwheel which is automatically held in either of the three operative positions provided for the device.

A mere rotation through 90 of an easily accessible hand-actuated stop allows neutralisation of the device when it is desired to make the typesetting machine work as an ordinary machine.

By securing a cam element on to the cam controlling the arm of the hammers adjusting the length of the line, the control of my device may be obtained through said camelement acting as cam 21.

Obviously any desired modifications may be brought to the above described device within the scope of appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a type-setting machine including two jaws for holding a line of types and a camshaft, the provision of a line centering and shifting device comprising a double system of two coaxial pinions, a rack controlling the longitudinal position of each jaw and controlled by one of the pinions of the corresponding system, disconnectable means controlled by the camshaft and con trolling the other pinion of each system, a crown gear adapted to rotate cqaxially in unison with each of said other pinions and to be brought in driving engagement with the first pinion coaxial with the pinion rotating in unison with the crown gear considered and a control system for selectively and independently engaging the crown ears with the corresponding first pinions.

2. In a type-setting machine including two jaws for holding a line of types and a camshaft, the provision of a line centering and shifting device comprising two vertical racks, a set of two pinions meshing therewith, a support for said racks, a lever controlled by the camshaft and pivoting round a stationary point, a connecting rod pivoting round the same point, a compressible connection between said lever and said rod, a stop member pivotally secured to cooperate between said connecting rod and the rack support and adapted to operatively connect said rod and rack support only at a predetermined angular relation thereof, two members adapted to shift the corresponding jaws towards and away from each other, and a control system for selectively and independently setting said members in operative connection with the corresponding pinions.

3. In a type-setting machine including two jaws for holding a line of types and a camshaft, the provision of a line centering and shifting device comprising a double system of two coaxial pinions, a rack controlling the longitudinal position of each jaw and controlled by one of the pinions of the corresponding system, disconnectable means controlled by the camshaft and controlling the other pinion of each system, a crown gear adapted to rotate coaxially in unison with each of said other pinions and to be brought in driving engagement with the first pinion coaxial with the pinion rotating in unison with the crown gear considered, a casing enclosing the pinion system and the crown gears and through which the racks are adapted to pass, a handwheel carried by the casing, two small levers controlling the engagement of the crown gears with the corresponding first pinions and a cam in said casing controlled by the handwheel and adapted, according to the angular position chosen among three predetermined positions, to bring either or both of the crown gears into operative connection with the corresponding first pinion.

4. In a type-setting machine including two jaws for holding a line of types and a camshaft, the provision of a line centering and shifting device comprising a rack and pinion system, comprising a pair of racks with pinions meshing therewith, a second pair of pinions adapted to control the positions of the corresponding jaws, connectible means controlled by the camshaft and operatively connected to the rack system, a pair of shiftable elements operatively connecting the pinions of the first pair with the pinions of the second pair, a control knob adjustable to any of three different positions, and a cam controlled by the knob for shifting either or both of the said elements at a time into operative relation to the first pair of pinions to effect shifting of the related jaws.

5. In a type-setting machine having a rotary shaft including a cam, and a pair of relatively shiftable jaws arranged to clamp the ends of a line of type between them, a line centering and shifting device comprising a gearw-ork operatively connectible for shifting either or both of the jaws at a time relatively to each other, selective connecting means operable to connect either or both of the jaws to said gearwork for operation thereby, and operating means eiieotively connected between the cam on the camshaft of the typesetting I machine and said gearwork, said jaws including rack portions and said gearwork comprising shafts freely carrying pinions in mesh with said rack portions and crown gears normally disengaged from the pinions, said shafts carrying additional drive pinions fixed thereon and said crown gears being splined on the shafts for movement into and out of engagement with the first mentioned pinions, racks in mesh with the drive pinions and effectively connected with said operating means, said selective connecting means comprising manually adjustable means connected with the crown gears for selectively moving either one or both of the crown gears into or out of mesh with their related pinions.

6. In a type setting machine including two adjustable jaws for holding a line of type and a camshaft, a line centering and shifting device comprising a rack system comprising a first pair of pinions meshing with the corresponding racks, a second pair of pinions meshed with corresponding racks, the last mentioned pinions effecting the shifting of the jaws, a lever system controlled by the camshaft, a support for said rack system, hand-operated means carried by said support for operatively connecting the lever system and the first mentioned racks, shiftable elements arranged to operatively engage the pinions mesh with the jaw operating racks, a rotary cam arranged to move the shiftable elements to selectively connect the lever system to either one or both of the jaws.

7. A typesetting machine, according to claim 6, having a casing enclosing said rack system and said rotary cam and portions of the jaws working therethrough.

FERNAND CHARLES SOUCHE. 

